Evaporating apparatus



Dec.A 18,1923. 'A

w. .A. SWAN -EvAPoRATINe APPARATUS Filed Np'v. 11. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Dec. 18, 1923. 1,478,186

- w. A. SWAN EVAPORATING APPARATUS Filled Nov. 1l, 1919 2 Sheet PatentedDer. l, lQE

NETE@ STATES PATENT @.FFK@

piratas EVAPORATING APPARATUS.

Application. led November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,142.

T 0 all whom it may conce/fu:

Be it known that I, Tinus A. SWAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Port Huron, county of St. Clair, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Evaporating Apparatus,and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make andA use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the evaporization of liquids,and has for its object an improved organization of Aparts by means ofwhich the liquid or fluid may be rapidly and eiiiciently' subjected tothe heating, agitation, and aeration, to which it is necessary tosubject the liquid before the process @can be considered assatisfactorily completed. My improvements herein set forth not only makepossible `a more compact and easily accessible mechanism, but as wellenable the contemporaneous subjection of the liquids to the severaltreatments above mentioned.

In the drawings l Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved apparatus,with parts of the side Walls of the vat or tank cut away to show detailsof the heating, agitating, and aerating media.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation through the center of the tank.

Figure 3 is a plan view from above.

Figure a is a detail horizontal section of one form of scraper for theside walls ofthe tank, taken along the line 4 -4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view of a modified or alternative form of scraper.

Fig. 6 is'a detail sectional elevation of exterior circulating pump andconduits.

A indicates a vat or tank, at the bottom of which is located a steamchamber B, adapted to receive live steam through the pipe C, controlledby the valve E; from the bottom of Ithe chamber B leads a discharge pipeD for carrying away the condensed steam, and from the bottom of theliquid-containing interior of the tank A leads a drawoff pipe A1controlled by a valve or faucet A2. Rising from the edge of the floor ofthe vat A is the lowermost annular section F of the side wall. rlhis ishollow and is adapted to receive steam through the valve J, and todischarge condensed steam past the check valve M into the exhaust lineP, either to connection with the'pipe D, or to an independent dischargepipe. Above this section F is a similar hollow annular section G, theentry of steam into which is controlled by the valve K, and from whichcondensed steam escapes past the check valve N. The top annular sectionH, is similarly provided with the control valve L and check valve O. Allof these sections may be firmly clamped together by vertical bolts l,passing through the top flange l1 and the base flange I2.

WVith its tapered lower end journaled in the center ofthe bottom of thetank, the

hollow pipe R rises above the top of the tank to connection with an airpipe Q, which cooperates with the tapered lower end of the pipe Rinrotatably centering it. The pipe Q, is formed of two parts having a slipconnection as shown in Fig. 2 permitting rotation of the pipe R and theattached port-ion of the pipe Q- relative to the main part of the pipeQ; which, in effect, provides a bearing for the pipe R at the upper end.rlhe bevel gear S near the top of the pipe R is engaged by acomplementary bevel gear T on thel end of' the shaft U, connected with apulley U1, or other suitable source of rotative power.

The lower portion of the pipe is perforated with a plurality of holes,which afford communication with the interior of the perforated arm X,and throughv the holes Xl in which air is forced into the lower portionof the milk supply in the tank. From"` complementary,positions about thetop portion of the pipe R project radial arms WV. From the end of eachupper arm W and its corresponding perforated arm X is hung a scraper Z,fitted thereto in any desired manner, as by the dovetail Z1. Pivoted tothe outer faces of each scraper body are wooden or other relatively softwiping members Y, which are yieldingly forced outwardly to engage theinner side walls of 'the tank by springs Y1. This scraper may also takesome other form as regards the yielding centrifugal projection of itsrelatively soft wiping edge, suchas is shown in Figure 5, wherein thewiping member Y3 is yieldingly projected by the spring Y? n ln operatingthe device, l find it of great advantage to first let the steam onlyinto the bottom chamber B and the lowerrnost annular section F, then, asthe liquid becomes heated,

steam is admited to the second chamber G, through the valve K, andlater, it the quantity of liquid to be evaporated justifies it,

' the check valve N, or in the latte-r, the check valves N and O,prevent the steam from backing into the upper wall chamber or chambersthrough the check valve M of the lower chamber F, past which thecondensed steam at once begins to escape as soon as the chamber F hasreceived steam through its control valve J. 1

As soo-n as liquid has been placed in the tank, and steam has beenturned into the lower chambers,the rotation ot the hollow pipe R and itsseries of supporting arms VV and X is begun, and air under pressure 1sadmitted through the pipe Q. This air proceeds through the holes in thelower end of the pipe R, and is distributed into all parts of the'bodyof liquid in the tank through the holes Xl'in the lower arms X. The.action of the relatively'sot wiping edge Y of the Scrapers Z against theside surface of the tank begins as soon as the rotation o'l' the pipe Ris started, and this serves to prevent an accumulation of bubbles orparticles on the walls of the tank, thus avoiding scalding of the milkor other liquids, since all of it is kept in a state of constantagitation until the evaporating Voperation has been accomplished.

Since a very important part of the operators duties consists in closelywatching the temperature of the milk within the tank, and sincetherotation of the agitator and aerator renders the location of athermometer within the tank out of the question, I make the valve orfaucet A2 of the three way type, so that when the eva-poration processis under way, it may be turned so as to close the discharge outlet A3and connect the outlet pipe A1 with the rising section A, whose topportion is bent around until it ends, as at A5, Hush with the innersurface of the tank. In this section I'install a pump, as V, by which acontinuous flow may beset up so as to be drawing therethrough a sampleof the milk'being heated. The temperature of the milk can thus beconstantly watched on the thermometer V1, mounted in the end of thebranch pipe V2.

By the arrangement described, consisting of the three-way valve,conduits or pipe lines A4, V2 and A5, a continual circulation oi' the A.fluid is obtained through `operation of the pump V. By use of athermometer in the conduit the temperature of the fluid being treated iscontinually indicated and further, by operation of the valve A2 thecontents of the tank may be discharged through the pipe line A. i

It is further to be observed that by the arrangementot the superimposedhollowv annular sections each independently supplied with steam, aneconomical apparatus is' pro vided for use with various quantities omilk-that is, it only a small quantity of milk is to be treated, steammay be admitted to the lower annular section F and to the hollow base B.If a greater quantity is to be i Y tity of fluid in the tank. inadditional ,y

vreason for the provision-oic the hollow annular sections insuperimposed relation sub stantially, as shownv and independentlyconnected with the steam lineis in securing a uniform applicationof heatto the milk or other Huid being treated.V `@ne of the dicultiesencountered Lin the use oir a hollow jacketed kettle in which the heatis applied at one point for the entire jacket space'is that lin sucharrangement the heat is not uniformly applied to the fluid `beingtreated. The jacket will be of the highest temperature at and adjacentto the point of intro duction of the stream and the `,wall would bedecreasingly heated from such point tothe point of discharge. Withsuperimposed sections of small capacity each independentl supplied withsteam, each section of the wa l of the tank is oi the same temperatureandV the body of fluid within the tank is uniformly heated. Sucharrangement of superimposed sections is believed to be a new andimportant feature in a condenserl of the character herein set forth.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim is: f Y

, l. In evaporating apparatus, a series 0f separable superposed andannular hollow sections, a hollow bottom. the sectionsV and bottom beingsecured together and providing a cylindrical tank, each of said sectionsbeing provided with an Aindependent inlet and outlet. f f

2. In evaporating apparatus, a series of separable, superposed andannular hollow sections, a'hollow bottom member, the said sections andbottom being secured together providing a cylindrical tank, and arotatable agitator in the tank, Veach of said sections kbeing providedwith an independent inlet and Outlet.

iio

3. An evaporating apparatus comprising Y,

a series of separable, superposed, annular hollow sections, a hollowbottom member, the sections and bottom member being secured together toform a cylindrical tank, an

independent inlet and outletfor each of the sections, a valve for eachinlet, a check valve in each outlet a rotarv aerator and agitator Withinthe tank, and regulatable means for actuating the aerat-or and agitatorand for supplying air under pressure thereto.

il. An evaporating apparatus comprising a series of separable,superposed, annular hollow sections, a hollow bottom member, thesections and bottom member being secured together to form a cylindricaltank, an independent inletvand outlet for each of the sections, a valvefor each inlet, a check valve 'in each outlet, a rotary aerator andagita-tor within the tank, regulatable means for actuating the aeratorand agitator and for supplying air under pressure thereto, a conduit onthe exterior of the tank having an inlet and outlet in communicationwith the bottom and top thereof respectively, a pump in said conduit,and means for indicating the temperature of the fluid passing throughthe conduit.

5. An evaporating apparatus comprising a hollow walled tank, means forsupplying steam to the said hollow wall, an agitator SSE within thetank, a conduit exteriorly of the tank having an inlet and outlet incommunication with the bottom and top thereof respectively, a pump insaid conduit, and a temperature indicating means subject to influenc-eof heat of fluid passing through the conduit.

6. An evaporating apparatus comprising a hollow walled tank, means forsupplying steam to the said hollow wall, an agitator within the tank, aconduit eXteriorly of thetank having an inlet and outlet incommunication with the bottom and top thereof respect-ively, a pump insaid conduit, a temperature Vindicating means subject to influence ofheat of fluid passing through the conduit, and a discharge pipecontrolled by said valve.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twoWitnesses.

WlLLlS A. SWAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM M. SWAN, JEFFERSON G. THURBER.

